Earning Character Points
Once a character has been played and has accomplished tasks, vanquished enemies, quaffed many a flagon of ale, and generally taken his first few steps in the world, he starts to gain experience. In SIMRPG I represent this accumulation of wisdom, practice, and common sense as Character Points (CPs). The table below offers suggestions on reasons to reward players and amounts of CPs to give.
Reason for Reward Amount of CPs Coming up with a Good Idea or Plan 3 - 4 Learning an Applicable Lesson 2 - 3 Making an Extreme Success 1 Making an Extraordinary Success 2 Mediocre Character Role-Playing 1 - 2 Strong Character Role-Playing 4 - 5 Succeeding in an Important Task 3 - 4 Average Per Session 5 - 10
Generally each of the above awards is given only once per session, if at all.
Unlike some GMs, who save rewards until the end of a session, I feel that at times it is good to openly give a player character points in the middle of play. This is often right after an important scenario or interaction has occurred, and if I feel it is warranted, I will reward the player as soon as that particular scene ends. This, I feel, reinforces good role-playing habits and lets the player know that his contribution is valued. But with the provision that the CPs generally cannot be spent until play is over or has reached a real lull. Also, I like to err on the side of generosity with starting characters or players and on the side of caution with experienced characters or players. In the beginning, characters advance fast enough to catch the players interest and involve them in their Development. When they begin to become formidable, then I demand more out of the players and characters and try to slow the pace of Development down. To a degree, this occurs naturally because skill improvement and such is more difficult for more advanced skills. But nonetheless, it starts to become a challenge to find a challenge for characters that are too tough or powerful and that is to be avoided at all costs, because it breeds disinterest and boredom for players and GM. The GM must decide what is appropriate for their style and is free to ingnore blandishments or entreaties from players for "Just one more point."
Spending Character Points
Attribute Improvements | Skill Improvements
Character Points are accumulated until such time that the GM determines that a character can spend them. Usually this is in a lull in activity when the character can put his feet up and think about what he's learned, practice a bit, and sharpen his old skills with a new outlook and more wisdom. Or when a character has found time to study some books or learn at the feet of a master or teacher. Occasionally a GM may decide that the points can be spent immediately. This is especially the case with new skills because you learn fast early on, often by making many mistakes. Whatever the GM decides is the final law.Skill Improvements:
-Increasing Old Skills
Skill improvement through character points is straightforward. Any skill that a character has attempted to use, since last increasing it, may be improved (as long as GM okays it). Skills are divided into two categories. Those known at a level below the attribute they are based on (Low-Level Skills); and those known at a level equal to or above the attribute they are based on (High-Level Skills). They are divided as such because until a skill is equal to the attribute, the character has not yet reached his potential with the skill, and so learns relatively fast and easily through many mistakes and some successes. When a skill is equal to or above the attribute it is based on, the character has reached a level of competence with the skill and is trying to stretch his own abilities beyond their normal limits to improve the skill. Without many mistakes to show him where he needs practice, it is harder to advance in a discipline or profession.
To improve a Low-Level Skill, the player spends Character Points equal to the next immediate whole number value above the skill's current level.
Example: Olaf knows the skill Shortsword at level of 7. Shortsword is a Prowess Skill and Olaf's Prowess is 12, so the Skill is a Low-Level Skill. He has tried to use a shortsword in a recent battle to little effect and wants to become more proficient with it. The next immediate whole number value above 7, is 8. Therefore Olaf, when resting in a town and recuperating, spends 8 character points on Shortsword. The skill is increased to level 8. Olaf cannot increase the skill further until he tries to use a Shortsword some more.
To improve a High-Level Skill, the player spends Character Points equal to twice the next immediate whole number value above the skills's current level.
Example: Olaf knows the skill Bard at level 10. Bard is based on Manipulation and Olaf's Manipulation is 10, so the skill is a High-Level Skill. The next whole number value above 10, is 11. Twice 11 is 22. Olaf practices Bard in a tavern for a evening and that night spends 22 Character Points on Bard. Bard is increased to level 11, and Olaf needs more practice to increase it further.
-Learning New Skills
More difficult sometimes then increasing a skill one practices already is learning a skill for the first time. Often character will want to learn new things, whether it is an impromptu wish to develop an ability with Cooking or asking a fellow companion to show you the techniques of Tracking. If this is the case, the skill is often hard to pick up at first, but once the basics are known, improvement is often rapid. The GM may demand that, if a skill can be attempted, it should be tried at the default level a few times before the player can reasonably purchase it. In cases where a skill has No Default and cannot be attempted by someone who has not started with it, it is necessary to enlist the aid of someone else, an NPC or Player Character, who already knows the skill (GM may set a minimum level of knowledge before the skill can be taught to another, like level 10). This other person helps the learning character (can be role-played out or just assumed to occur whenever the characters have free time) and when the GM determines that a suitable amount of time has passed, the player may purchase the skill.
To learn a new skill which has a default, the player must spend a base of 5 points, plus one more point than the skill's default level and no more (if the skill defaults to several skills as well as the attribute, then the highest of the default levels will be used). This indicates that the skill has become formalized knowledge. The player writes it down and the skill level is equal to the default level of the skill, plus one. It may then be improved as a normal skill, per above. Note that the least amount of points that may be spent to learn a skill this way is eight, because no skill can default to lower than a two (because a one or two always succeeds on a twenty-sided die for a skill Test), and one more than two is three. Three plus the base 5 for learning a new skill equals eight.
Example: Jokkler has been getting ripped off by the local merchants a lot, so decides he needs to really learn the skill Merchant/Bargain to start haggling prices down. The skill defaults to 1/2 Manipulation or Persuasion -3. Jokkler has a 12 Manipulation and a Persuasion of 13. Therefore, the default of the skill is to the highest default level, which is (Persuasion 13 - 3=) 10. One more than 10 is 11. Jokkler must spend (5 + 11 =) 16 points on Merchant/Bargain to learn it as a real skill. He practices it a few times in the market (at the default level of 10), and then gains confidence and buys the skill. He spends 16 Character Points and writes down the Merchant/Bargain at a skill level of 11.
To learn a skill that has no default, the player must be taught it by one who knows the skill. The GM determines a suitable amount of time for instruction, before results can show. Once that time limit is complete, the player spends eight Character Points. The skill is learned at a skill level of three, and may be improved from there. The reason for this is that a one or two always succeeds on a twenty-side die when rolling for a skill test (see Game "Tests"). One more than two is three, and the base of 5 points to learn a new skill, plus three, equals eight; so eight points are spent. The skill may then be written down and improved after practice as a normal skill, as above.
Example: Jokkler has been traveling for some time in the Khali Desert, and has had trouble communicating with the tribes of nomads that inhabit it. He decides he wants to learn the Khali Tribesmen Language. He spends a few hours a day for a week with a native guide who teaches him a bit of the language. After the week is through, Jokkler thinks he knows enough to learn on his own. He spends 8 character points and writes Language: Khali Tribesmen down as a skill level of 3. He must practice it more before he can improve it.
Attribute Improvements:
Attributes are the very basis of a character. They define his current state of physical and mental ability. Just as it is possible to bulk up ones muscles, it is equally possible to improve one's mind. One can become more dextrous through practice and wiser through experience. But it is very difficult. An Attribute can only be increased a one point at a time. To improve any Attribute, it costs 3 times the next immediate whole number value above the Attribute's current level. Also, the Attribute level which a character starts out with is a measure of their ultimate potential. Therefore, there is an upper limit to any improvement. No Attribute may be improved by more than 1/2 of its original value. Finally, the GM is the final arbiter of when or if an Attribute may be improved. If it the GM allows it and the Attribute is improved, all Statistics based on it are recalculated and all Skills based on it are readjusted for it's new value (i.e. those Skills are +1).
Example: Dargestes is an experienced warrior who has fought in many conflicts and amassed much experience and battle wisdom. Dargestes player decides that after all this time swinging a sword and carrying a shield, Dargestes has grown stronger. He was a reasonably strong youth to begin with (Strength 12) so he has good bones and muscles, and plenty of potential to work on (The maximum his Strength could ever be improved to is 18 (12 x 1/2 = 6; 12 + 6 =18)). Dargestes can only improve his Strength a single point, but it is all he can afford anyways. The next value above Dargestes' current Strength of 12 is 13. 13 x 3 =39. It will cost Dargestes 39 points to raise his Strength to 13. He spends the 39 points and his Strength is raised to 13. His Base Damage, Health, Strain, and Move are all based in part on Strength. His Vitality is 11, his Prowess is 13. Looking at the Base Damage Table, his new Base Damage is 1D8. His Health was (Str 12 + Vit 11 =) 23, now it is (Str 13 + Vit 11=) 24. His Strain was ((Str 12 + Vit 11)/2 =) 11, now it is ((Str 13 + Vit 11)/2 =) 12. His Move was ((Str 12 + Pro 13)/2 =) 12, now it is ((Str 13 + Pro 13)/2 =) 13. Lastly, his skill Swimming, which is based on Move, was 10. Now, with his Move increased, the skill is also increasd by 1, so it is 11. Dargestes flexes his stronger muscles and thinks that maybe he should start reading some more and improve his mind too.
As a final note, unless the GM allows it, the only way that Derived Statistics may be improved is by improving the Attributes they are based on.